1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to electrical connectors and more particularly relates to an overmolded connector with wires affixed to the connector contacts and a method of fabricating the same.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Electrical connectors which have conductive contacts encapsulated by a molded insulative material are well known in the prior art. Such connectors generally provide a reliable, hermetically sealed connection suitable for use in hostile environments, such as automotive applications. However, when a connector is to be formed which includes flexible wires affixed to the contacts, many manufacturing problems are known to arise. Flexible conductive wires are used within a connector assembly to provide internal inter-contact connection, to provide internal connections to integral electronic components and to provide connections to a point outside of the connector. To simplify the description herein, these flexible wires will generally be referred to as "flying leads" regardless of their specific function in the connector.
Traditionally, to form a connector with flying leads, wires are first attached to the contacts. The contacts and wires are then inserted into a tooled mold which supports the contacts in a suitable position. Finally, an insulative material is injected into the mold to encapsulate the contacts and wires in position. This process is commonly referred to as overmolding. However, if the wires move during the overmolding process, the wall thickness of the molded part will be inconsistent. This can result in component weakness and visual component defects.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,374,176 to Jang discloses a wire clamping device for use with an injection molding machine. The '176 patent discloses the use of the clamping device to maintain the position of conductors which extend from an electronic circuit to be encapsulated by the injection molding device. To use this clamping device, the circuit to be encapsulated is placed in a suitable mold form with the conductors extending therefrom. The conductors are aligned within the clamping device which is then engaged to maintain the conductor position. The clamp maintains the conductor position throughout the molding process. While conductor alignment is achieved, the use of this clamp has a disadvantage in that each part to be encased must be carefully aligned in the clamp structure prior to molding. This requires a degree of care and skill in the mold machine operator to insure consistent results in the finished product.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,339,407 to Leighton also discloses a method for electronic circuit encapsulation. The '407 patent teaches the preassembly of an electronic circuit to be encapsulated and the placement of this preassembled circuit into a preformed mold carrier. The mold carrier is formed with an internal configuration of lands and grooves which facilitates circuit insertion and position maintenance. The mold carrier further includes prelocated perforations to allow circuit conductors to extend beyond the carrier for interconnection to the encapsulated circuit. This method of encapsulation requires preassembly of the components in a free form fashion with sufficient precision to allow a proper fit of the circuit within the carrier. The degree of precision which is required is a disadvantage in high volume manufacturing processes.